


The gift of "Good Morning"

by Terra_Ravin



Category: Story of kindness
Genre: Gen, Gift, Kindness, Smile, basic communication, good morning, hug, simple words, value as a person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 15:43:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19704445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Terra_Ravin/pseuds/Terra_Ravin
Summary: My grandmothers story of how a simple good morning changed the life of a homeless man who came into the thrift shop she volunteers in.





	The gift of "Good Morning"

In my work at a Community Services volunteer,I say ‘good morning’, chat with the customers at the Thrift Store, and often exchange jokes and stories while I help them find what they’re looking for. One man, who I now know as Robin, used to come in on the last Wednesday of every month. I always said good morning, but he seldom looked up and never made eye contact or answered my greeting.

Then one day to my surprise, after months of always saying good morning to him and never getting a response back from him, he raised his eyes and made eye contact with me  
and said good morning back. I smiled, made some chatty comments and off he went. After that I noticed that he came in more often, smiled, and even began to initiate a greeting. One day to my surprise while I was joking with a customer he joined in the conversation and told a joke of his own.

I was delighted and encouraged him to speak more, and before he left the shop that day he asked if he could have a hug. I was a little surprised, and in retrospect it might not have been the more prudent response, but without hesitating I said – ‘Sure. Why not? Hugs are free. They’re meant to be given away.’ So I gave him a hug, but when I went to step back, he held on tightly, so I just relaxed and let it be.

He hugged me for well over a minute.

In the months following I came to know him as Robin, a homeless man who lived in the bushes around a nearby Lake. And the I noticed that he had changed and was smiling, friendly, and exchanged pleasantries with the volunteers. In fact, he would linger in my store for a long time and always asked for a hug before he left.

Then there came a long time when I didn’t see him until I bumped into him at the local Street Market one summer evening. He filled me in on what was going on for him. He now had a case worker and was living in a subsidized rent-free apartment in the city while attending classes at a College. With an annual bus pass he was able to come out to the town for the market which he always enjoyed, but was in class on Wednesdays so couldn’t go out to see me at the Thrift store anymore.

I still see Robin from time to time. I’m glad to know he’s been off the streets for a couple of years now and doing well, now that he has built his own support network to help him through the hard times.

So why did that simple greeting start a chain reaction in Robin that led to such a dramatic change in his life?

For a lot of the people who live on the streets, loneliness is a huge challenge. Sometimes they look dirty or act strange. Other people on the street might know their name – or their “street” name, but people in the mainstream community seldom do – or care to know. So day after day they never hear someone say their name and most people don’t talk to them. But many homeless people are hungry for contact, for someone to just acknowledge their humanity and value as a person.

We should not take the people that we know for granted. Many people do not get even a simple smile or a sign of acknowledgment. So when you are going about your day and see someone, give them a smile and even a simple, ‘Nice day we’re having isn't it?’ It can make all he difference to them. It sure made a difference in Robin’s life.

Good Morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. Nice day we’re having isn't it?


End file.
